Forest fire continues for fifth day in western Turkey

Tuğba Özer / Gazete Duvar

The forest fire that began in western Turkey’s Denizli province continues on its fifth day.

Firefighter teams are at the scene, continuing extinguishing efforts from the ground and air. However, fire is ongoing in a steep, rocky, and difficult-to-access area in the Karcı Mountain. Civil society organizations and volunteers also supported the efforts.

Main opposition Republican People’s Party’s (CHP) Denizli Deputy Gülizar Biçer Karaca arrived at the scene to observe the extinguishing efforts. 

Biçer Karaca said that authorities’ reports did not fit locals’ observations about the firefighting efforts. “According to citizens’ claims, four helicopters and, according to the Forestry General Directorate, seven helicopters were involved in the intervention.”

The deputy urgently called upon the authorities to deploy night vision firefighting air support as the fire spread into the night. “Without night vision firefighting air support, all the efforts of our citizens, who risk their lives throughout the day to fight the fire, go to waste. Residential areas are under smoke and soot, and people are unable to breathe,” she said.

She also asked why a firefighting helicopter of the local forest directorate was not deployed to the scene. “If the helicopter had taken off and dropped water once at that moment, the fire would not have reached this scale today. Who is responsible for this? Why isn’t that helicopter taking off, why did it fail to intervene in the fire for two hours?” she asked.

Meanwhile, the Denizli Governorship issued a statement regarding the fire, emphasizing that extensive efforts were being made to take it under control despite the difficult terrain conditions. 

“Our struggle against the forest fire continues. Despite the extremely challenging conditions, ground teams and volunteers affiliated with the Forestry General Directorate are intervening in the fire with ground and air vehicles. Construction machinery has been dispatched to the field to create roads to areas with no access.”

 (English version by Ayşenaz Toptaş)